Posts Tagged ‘Damask wallpaper’
Damask wallpaper
The origins of damask date back thousands of years yet despite its rich history damask patterns can still look up-to-date against more modern and abstract designs. Damask wallpaper looks great when part of simple interior d√©cor or within a lavish and traditional style home. Contemporary damask wallpaper patterns still prove a popular choice so if you’re considering a new look to your living space then consider a damask patterned wallpaper for your home.
History of damask
The origins of damask date back to the ancient Chinese civilisations of around 300 B.C. Fabrics were woven in such a way that patterns on one side were the inverse of the other. Traditionally made from silk or linen, damask patterns were created in one colour but over the last century, two or three colours became popular and the type of fabric used to weave damask began to include cotton, wool or rayon.
Damask silks were traded from the Far East to the Mediterranean along a route called the ’silk road’ through cities that included Damascus (from which the name probably derives). Damasks were coveted by Rulers and Aristocrats who employed weavers throughout Greece, Italy and France to develop their own versions of the Chinese motifs. These matching damasks were seen on the walls, linen and upholstery of the rich for many centuries. By the time of the Industrial Revolution, mass production methods saw damask become affordable to the middle classes although the fabrics were typically only printed on one side and therefore not reversible.
Later, the Arts and Craft movement of the late 19th and early 20th century, inspired by the writings of John Ruskin, shunned the machine-made designs in favour of traditional hand crafted damasks depicting romanticised imagery and motifs.
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